Malimali writes to PM to remove Acting Supervisor of Elections Mataiciwa

The Acting Supervisor of Elec­tions, Ana Mataiciwa, will be given time to respond to a letter suggesting her removal.

The letter was written by the Electoral Commission (EC) chair, Barbara Malimali and delivered to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.

Mr Rabuka is the chairperson of the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC).

This was confirmed by Mr Rabuka yesterday.

He did not disclose the full content of the letter, but said the COC would give Ms Mataiciwa an opportunity to justify herself as per the concerns raised by Ms Malimali in the letter.

The letter was hand-delivered to the COC secretariat last Tuesday when the PM was on his North tour.

According to the 2013 Constitution, the Commission is responsible for providing advice to the President in relation to the appointment of key public positions including the Supervisor of Elections.

It is chaired by the PM with members including the Attorney-General Siromi Turaga, Jon Apted, Cema Bolabola, Leader of Opposition Inia Seruiratu and Tupou Draunidalo.

THE LETTER

Mr Rabuka said the letter COC received had noted the Electoral Commission’s discontentment with a number of decisions made by Ms Mataiciwa as Acting Supervisor of Elections.

He said Ms Malimali made a number of recommendations in the letter of which the commission would look into.

Lately, Ms Mataiciwa had been referring complaints lodged to the FEO against Cabinet ministers and public officials to FICAC.

This included complaints lodged against Deputy Prime Ministers Biman Prasad and Manoa Kamikamica and ministers Siromi Turaga and Lynda Tabuya.

Mr Rabuka had earlier labelled the reports made against his Cabinet ministers as unsettling and upsetting.

When queried on what his thoughts were on reports lodged against his ministers, Mr Rabuka said: “The word is disconcerting.”

The Supervisor of Elections post was advertised last year, however, no substantive appointment has been made until today.

Ms Mataiciwa had applied and was interviewed for the role.

FIJI LABOUR PARTY

Last week, Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry questioned Government’s motive in the move.

“Is it because she has referred complaints lodged against some senior Cabinet ministers to FICAC?” Mr Chaudhry asked.

He said at the political parties’ quarterly meeting with the Acting Supervisor of Elections on Wednesday April 3, all Opposition political parties present (Labour, NFP, Unity Fiji and All People’s Alliance) had expressed confidence in Ms Mataiciwa and had requested confirmation of her appointment without any further delay.

“We believe the Constitutional Offices Commission had decided to appoint Ms Mataiciwa, who has been acting in that position since January, 2023,” he said.

Attempts to get comments from the Electoral Commission chair were unsuccessful.

The COC is expected to meet this week where deliberations on the issue would be made.

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